Our Sponsor Sideshow Send us News
Lord of the Rings Tolkien
Search Tolkien
Lord of The RingsTheOneRing.net - Forged By And For Fans Of JRR Tolkien
Lord of The Rings Serving Middle-Earth Since The First Age

Lord of the Rings Movie News - J.R.R. Tolkien

  Main Index   Search Posts   Who's Online   Log in
The One Ring Forums: Tolkien Topics: Gaming & Collecting:
High towers and strong places: a political history of Middle-earth

News from Bree
spymaster@theonering.net

May 7 2016, 1:39am

Post #1 of 3 (1465 views)
Shortcut
High towers and strong places: a political history of Middle-earth Can't Post

TORn Library contributor Dr Timothy Furnish has just published the first of a two-volume analysis of JRR Tolkien's Middle-earth: High Towers and Strong Places: a Political History of Middle-earth.

Furnish applies primary world analysis -- political, cultural, social, and economic -- to Middle-earth's 7,000 years of recorded history.

Steering clear of literary criticism, this book instead uses Tolkien's writings to examine each of the major races of Middle-earth in some detail. It then delves into how each people's anthropological traits influenced their political systems.

In doing so, he compares and contrasts Middle-earth's many states, from Beleriand and Barad-dur to Utumno and Umbar, with primary world examples such as Rome and Byzantium, the Carolingian Empire, and the Islamic caliphates.

"Everyone know that there is a deep background to Tolkien's Middle-earth, which is one of the main reasons for its uniqueness. Timothy Furnish's work brings the politics of Middle-earth out of the background and into sharp focus, demonstrating once again the richness and consistency of Tolkien's world." Dr Thomas Shippey.

"Timothy Furnish's book is well written, easy to read, and yet also very thought-provoking. He takes an approach which has become unfashionable, and shows triumphantly how much we are mussing through taking too academic a line in our Tolkien scholarship." Ruth Lewis.


The book, which is available in e-book and softcover, features two cover illustrations and more than 20 interior Tolkien inspired watercolours drawn by Anke Eissmann, as well as maps by Aaren Siddall.

You can pick up your copy over on Amazon now.

(This post was edited by entmaiden on Jun 18 2016, 10:23pm)


Meneldor
Valinor


May 7 2016, 4:20pm

Post #2 of 3 (1449 views)
Shortcut
How much analysis does he do on Dol Amroth? // [In reply to] Can't Post

 


They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters, these see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. -Psalm 107


Eldy
Tol Eressea


May 27 2016, 8:32pm

Post #3 of 3 (1258 views)
Shortcut
None [In reply to] Can't Post

Dol Amroth is only mentioned a handful of times and none of them are an analysis of the city/fief or its armies. There might be something about it in Furnish's second volume, which is supposed to focus on military matters in greater detail. The first volume was largely an overview of the history and establishing certain Primary World terminology.

I wrote a review of the book if you're curious. I think it has some serious flaws.



There's a feeling I get, when I look to the West...



(This post was edited by Eldorion on May 27 2016, 8:33pm)

 
 

Search for (options) Powered by Gossamer Forum v.1.2.3

home | advertising | contact us | back to top | search news | join list | Content Rating

This site is maintained and updated by fans of The Lord of the Rings, and is in no way affiliated with Tolkien Enterprises or the Tolkien Estate. We in no way claim the artwork displayed to be our own. Copyrights and trademarks for the books, films, articles, and other promotional materials are held by their respective owners and their use is allowed under the fair use clause of the Copyright Law. Design and original photography however are copyright © 1999-2012 TheOneRing.net. Binary hosting provided by Nexcess.net

Do not follow this link, or your host will be blocked from this site. This is a spider trap.